1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the promotion of consumer products and distribution of discounts, other promotions and information. More particularly, it relates to a method and apparatus for alerting consumers of sales, or other product promotions, to motivate or alter their purchasing decisions at the point-of-purchase, and further, a security system for the apparatus.
2. The Prior Art
When a product manufacturer or retailer is running a product promotion or discount, currently the only way to alert the consumer of these promotions is by sending them circular distributions, coupon mailings, and/or advertising. These methods all have the same drawbacks in that they do not expose the promotion to the consumer when the consumer is in the best position to consider the selection of a product for purchase (i.e., in the aisle of the store and at the point-of-purchase). Thus, the consumer is forced to either remember the promotion and products associated therewith, or remember to bring the coupons or other promotional material when they go to the store.
The most important time in which a consumer is most likely to be motivated by and take advantage of a promotion, is during the shopping experience. More specifically, when the consumer is at the point-of-purchase (i.e., standing in the aisle at the particular retail establishment, and physically looking at the merchandise and deciding what products to purchase). Other attempts made to influence the consumer at the point of purchase are sale signs. These signs have several disadvantages including the expense of printing, and the labor to affix and remove the signs from the shelves. Another problem with sale signs is that they are often inaccurately positioned on the shelf by the store clerks, and can cause further confusion as to what products are the subject of the promotion.
Promotional offers and coupon distribution for competitive products serve to alter the consumer's future purchasing behavior. The most widely used example of this involves coupons printed and distributed at the supermarket or retailer checkout counter based on the items that are purchased (i.e., point-of-sale). These issued coupons must be used on a subsequent trip to the supermarket or retail establishment.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,910,672, 4,723,212, and 5,173,851, assigned to Catalina Marketing Corporation, disclose methods of dispensing coupons, including coupons for competitive products, based on a consumer's purchases as they are identified by the bar code scanner mounted inside the checkout counter, and connected to point-of-sale electronic system. Each of the systems disclosed require the use of checkout counter scanners, which are used as point-of-sale devices.
The prior art methods of distributing consumer promotions and coupons, based on checkout scanner information, in an effort to affect future purchasing behavior are inefficient. This inefficiency is due to the fact that a substantial number of the issued discounts or coupons go unused because consumers are required to remember to bring them to the store on their next visit.
Another form of distributing product discounts and promotional information to consumers is through the use of a frequent shopper card or similar customer loyalty program. This card enables the store to identify the consumer at the point-of-sale, and keep track of his or her purchasing history. The retailer/manufacturer generally has an electronic account for each consumer that is a member of the frequent shopper program. This electronic account enables the retailer/manufacturer to record and keep track of every purchase this consumer makes. This purchasing history (in the consumer's electronic account) can subsequently be used to target that consumer for delivery of promotional product information by mail, at the store, etc. Frequent shopper cards also enable the retailer/manufacturer to issue electronic discounts to the consumer at the point-of-sale (checkout counter), or to the consumer's frequent shopper card account. Other methods of issuing electronic coupons or promotions to the consumer's frequent shopper electronic account includes consumer requested promotion/coupons through the use of their home computer and an online computer network, such as, for example, the internet.
The primary drawback with the frequent shopper card systems is that the identity of the consumer is not determined until after the purchase selections have been made. Thus, no information concerning the purchases made on previous shopping trips can be used as a basis for offering the consumer promotional product information during the time these consumers/frequent shopper club members, are making their current purchase selections.
Another significant disadvantage to the frequent shopper card electronic accounts is that the consumer is generally unaware of any discounts, electronic coupons and other promotional information in their account while they are making their purchase selections (i.e., at the point-of-purchase). Therefore, there is a need for a system that can alert the consumer at the point-of-purchase as to the current retail promotions offered to frequent shopper club members and automatically credit the consumer when a promotional product is purchased. The system can also enable the consumer to determine the status of their electronic frequent shopper account, and what discounts, credits, rewards or promotions are available to them before they start shopping.
Currently the only form of security used in conjunction with a consumer operated portable bar code scanner is a spot check or audit. This entails requiring the consumer to empty the contents of their shopping cart and check their receipt item by item. This security system is inefficient because it effectively defeats the purpose of portable bar code scanner, which is to eliminate waiting on a checkout line.